March 14, 2008
LAS VEGAS - After two days of shorts and T-shirts, the UNLV football team took on a new look in the third day of spring practice at Rebel Park, putting on pads for the first time for Friday's session.
Enjoying a pleasant March morning, the Rebels went through 25, five-minute periods in a spirited practice that saw the intensity pick up with the addition of full gear.
"It was great to be in pads," head coach Mike Sanford said. "Our team showed a lot of enthusiasm. It was much more physical than the past two practices, and because of that our execution went down a little bit. We need to get used to playing in pads again and get our execution back up where it needs to be."
The addition of pads was a welcomed one for running back Frank `The Tank' Summers, who seemingly never meet a collision he didn't like. As a junior he barreled over defenders for 928 yards and six rushing touchdowns, and the yardage total was the 13th most in school history.
"It is always fun when the pads come on," Summers said. "There was a lot of intensity today and it was a great way to go out before spring break."
BREAKING FOR SPRING BREAK
Because the UNLV coaching staff wanted to keep spring practices at three per week and not try to cram too much into one week, the Rebels will now take the next week off due to spring break. It will give the first portion of spring practice a mini-camp feel to it, as Sanford and his staff will reinstall everything they put in next week, allowing the players to fully take everything in.
"Since we wanted to keep it at three practices a week, we had to do spring practice this way," Sanford said. "It will be an advantage though, because we will reinstall everything we did this past week when we come back, helping build a good base to work with."
PATTERSON GETTING HIS REBEL LEGS
While veteran coach Andrew Patterson has gone through many football practices, it has been a while since he worked through a spring session on a college campus. He had spent the previous 10 seasons coaching in the NFL, most recently with the Denver Broncos, and for a total of five teams. Before heading to the NFL, however, Patterson spent nine seasons at the college level, including a three-year stint as the head coach of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo from 1994-96 and was named American West Conference Coach of the Year in 1994 as he led the Mustangs to the league title with a 7-4 record.
After the first week of spring practice with the Rebels, the veteran coach is stressing team camaraderie as much as rushing the quarterback and stropping the run.
"One of the things I am trying to build is a one-for-all and all-for-one mentality with the defensive linemen," Patterson said. "Overall it is going great. Guys are working hard and you are starting to see things that you are teaching in drills show up on the field."
UP NEXT
UNLV's next practice will be Monday (March 24) on campus, following a week off for spring break. The session, which will have the players in pads, is scheduled to last from approximately 4:00-6:00 p.m. All practices this spring are free and open to the public but visitors must stay in the designated viewing areas on the grass practice field.
Fans are also invited to attend the FREE Scarlet vs. Gray spring game on April 18 at Sam Boyd Stadium from approximately 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
UNLV 2008 SPRING PRACTICE SCHEDULE - OPEN TO THE PUBLICPLEASE NOTE: ALL DATES AND TIMES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGEMarch 17-21 Spring Break-No PracticesMarch 24 Monday Practice 4 Pads 4:00-6:00 pmMarch 26 Wednesday Practice 5 Pads 4:00-6:00 pmMarch 28 Friday Practice 6 Pads 9:00-11:00 amMarch 31 Monday Practice 7 Pads 4:00-6:00 pmApril 2 Wednesday Practice 8 Pads 4:00-6:00 pmApril 4 Friday Practice 9 Scrimmage 4:00-6:00 pm (Coaches' Clinic 9:00 a.m.- 8 p.m.)April 7 Monday Practice 10 Pads 4:00-6:00 pmApril 9 Wednesday Practice 11 Pads 4:00-6:00 pmApril 11 Friday Practice 12 Scrimmage 6:00-8:00 pm (Alumni Night Event 5:00)April 14 Monday Practice 13 Pads 4:00-6:00 pmApril 16 Wednesday Practice 14 Pads 4:00-6:00 pmApril 18 Friday Practice 15 SPRING GAME 6:00 pm at Sam Boyd (Team BBQ at 7:30 pm at Sam Boyd)
